A Kids Art Project – Mono Print Animals

This is a fun kids art project.  It’s meant to encourage a sense of freedom and looseness while working with paint. With paint, starch, a flat surface and a piece of paper, you’ll create a monoprint of an animal.. You might want to spend some time before you get started looking at photos of animals.  Here are a few.

Materials needed:
desk top, table top or smooth flat surface
tempera paint
liquid starch
paper for printing – newsprint is a good option – it’s cheap so you can really experiment.
container with water for cleaning hands while working
paper towels

Getting Started:
This project uses a simple approach to printmaking techniques.

Spread the liquid starch onto the flat surface.  Use sparingly – about 3 capfuls should be enough

Shake or pour the paint onto the starch and blend.  You can use only one color or try experimenting with a few colors at once.

Spread the paint evenly over the surface.

Let’s Create:
Use fingers, hands, pencil, erasers or other tool to create the animal design on the surface.  Paint with freedom, emphasizing the gesture and action of the animal.  Work large; try to avoid getting into small details.  Stay loose.

The picture will appear by pushing aside portions of the paint and exposing the surface.

Work quickly so the paint doesn’t dry.  While it’s still wet lay a clean sheet of paper on top of the wet paint.

Press the paper gently on the surface with the paint.

If your image didn’t turn out clearly, then you probably put down too much starch.  Just add a little more tempera paint and draw your animal again.  It might take a bit of experimentation to get the correct mix.   Just keep trying and have fun!

Check out Process Painting for another fun project which encourages a sense of freedom and looseness.